Definition and Properties of Nail Lacquers

NAIL LACQUERS

Definition:

Nail lacquers or nail paints may be defined as viscous or semi-liquid preparations that are intended for the decoration of the nails of the fingers and toes. Nail lacquers form the most commonly used the most popular type of manicure preparations. Nail polishes are quite distinct from those of nail lacquers and are regarded as a type of  manicure  preparations  that  produce  a gloss  by  means  of  huffing  action.  The action is mainly by causing abrasion on the surface of the nail and secondly by drawing more blood into the capillaries of the nail.

Ideal Properties of Nail Lacquer:

The ideal properties of a nail lacquer should be as follows:

·                               It should be safe for the skin and nails and should not lead to any harmful effects.

·                               It should be easy to apply and easy to remove.

·                               It shall maintain its properties even during long storage. Hence, an efficient nail lacquer should possess consistent stability.

·                               The most important property is that it should form a uniform and satisfactory film on the nails.

·                               It should have good wetting and flow properties and should be viscous in nature in order to form an appropriate film.

·                               The distribution of the colour should be uniform which can be achieved by using finely divided pigments that are uniformly ground and evenly wetted by the solvent.

·                               It should provide a good shine on the nail on application.

·                               It should possess sufficient adhesive property so that it may uniformly adhere to the nail without slipping.

·                               It should possess the required flexibility so that it may not become brittle and crack upon application.

·                               The surface should be sufficiently hard in order to prevent th6 effect of impact and scratch.

·                               The drying time of the film should not be too rapid or too slow; say about - minutes without forming any bloom.

It should be able to preserve all these properties at least for a week after its application.